Partition wall

ABSTRACT

A MOVABLE PARTITION WALL EMPLOYING PANELS WHICH ARE DETACHABLY MOUNTED ON STUDS. THE PANELS HAVE PARALLEL MARGINAL EDGES ALONG WHICH ARE DISPOSED CONTINUOUS TONGUES WITH COEXTENSIVE STOPS. THE STUDS ARE PROVIDED WITH SPACED FINGURES EXTENDING TOWARDS THE PANELS. EACH FINGER IS SUBSTANTIALLY COEXTENSIVE WITH THE STUD AND CARRIES A CONTINUOUS SHOULDER FOR INTERLOCKING ENGAGEMENT WITH A STOP WHEN THE TONGUES OF THE PANELS ARE INSERTED BETWEEN THE FINGURES OF THE STUDS.

Nov. 30, 1971 L. R. DOWNING, JR

PARTITION WALL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 25, 1969 l'llllllllll /NVENTOQ uc/5N l?. Dow/vw@ J/e. M ffl@ A TTDENE YS.

Nov. 30, 1971 y L R, DQWNlNG7 JR 3,623,290

PARTITION WALL Filed July 25, 1969 1 Shoots-Shout 2 INVI'IN'HH! United States Patent Olice Patented Nov. 30, 1971 3,623,290 PARTITION WALL Lucien R. Downing, Jr., 1218 Yoder Blvd., Avon Lake, Ohio 44012 Continuation-impart of abandoned application Ser. No. 535,937, Mar. 21, 1966. This application July 25, 1969 Ser. No. 863,733

Int. Cl. E04b 2/28, 2/78 U.S. Cl. 52-481 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A movable partition Wall employing panels which are detachably mounted on studs. The panels have parallel marginal edges along which are disposed continuous tongues with coextensive stops. The studs are provided With spaced fingers extending towards the panels. Each finger is substantially coextensive with the stud and carries a continuous shoulder for interlocking engagement with a stop when the tongues of the panels are inserted between the lingers of the studs.

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 535,937, filed Mar. 2l, 1966 and entitled Partition Wall, now abandoned.

Industry in the United States is constantly growing, changing and moving from one location to another. This rapid growth and change has created a demand for new and better movable partition walls, as our commercial buildings must periodically be remodeled and altered to meet these ever growing and changing needs. Todays buildings are being constructed with a minimum number of permanent walls as more and more movable partition walls are being used to accommodate present and future needs of the tenants. Such partition Walls must be capable of bein-g quickly and easily installed and dismantled. It is also desirable that these partition walls be lireproof and soundproof` This invention is directed to providing such a removable partition wall having all of these favorable characteristics.

Briefly stated, the invention is in a partition wall comprising a plurality of panels which are detachably mounted on a plurality of movable stud members. The face of each stud, i.e., that portion of the stud adjacent the panels, is provided with a pair of spaced abutments. A pair of spaced, oppositely disposed resiliently mounted lingers extend from, and form an opening between the abutments. A shoulder, restricting the opening, is disposed on each finger in spaced relation from the free end of the finger farthest from the abutment.

A pair of panels are mounted on the stud in adjacently disposed abutting side-by-side relation, such that the panels exposed surfaces lie in the same vertical plane. A pair of tongues are resiliently mounted on the adjacent abutting marginal edges of the panels and extend from the panel surfaces. The panel tongues are insertable in the restricted opening formed by the stud shoulders. A pair of stops spaced from the panel surfaces, are carried by the tongues for interlockingly engaging the shoulders.

The tongues resiliently push aside, or displace the free ends of the fingers as they are inserted in the restricted opening. The fingers resiliently spring back when the tongues are fully inserted in the opening, i.e., the panel surfaces abut the free ends of the lingers, and the shoulders interlockingly engage the stops. A positive interlock is achieved as the shoulders and stops lie in parallel planes which Iare parallel to the panel surfaces and normal to the tongues and fingers, and the shoulders and stops cannot be unlocked unless the lingers are manually displaced to disengage the shoulders from the stops. When the panels are depressed slightly towards the studs, they engage the stud abutments to keep the panels from becoming permanently deformed.

v The following description of the invention will be better understood by having reference to the annexed drawing, wherein: u,

FIG. l is a perspective View of an embodiment of the panel used in forming the partition wall of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the stud used in forming the partition wall;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the partition wall employing the panels and studs illustrated in FIGS. l and 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the partition wall taken in the plane indicated by the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is still another embodiment of the panel;

FIG. 6 is the panel shown in FIG. S bent in a right angle configuration for application to a corner; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view of a partition wall employing a batten.

yReferring gener-ally to FIGS. l4, and more particularly to FIG. l of the annexed drawing, there is shown a panel generally indicated at 10. The panel 10 comprises a web 11 defined by parallel marginal edges 12 and 13. The Web 11 has a decoratively exposed surface 14, yand an unexposed surface 15 in back-to-back relation.

A pair of similarly configured but oppositely disposed flanges or tongues 16 and 17, are secured to the webs marginal edges 12 and 13, respectively, and extend from the web 11. As both tongues are similarly configured, their description will be given in relation to tongue 16. A stop or extended flat seat 18 is carried by the tongue 16, and is in spaced relation from the web 11. The stop 18 includes a surface lying in a plane parallel to the plane of the web 11 and normal to the plane of the tongue 16. The tongue or planar flange 16 has a free marginal edge 16a. A wedge 16C is disposed along the marginal edge 16a in angular relation to the flange 16. As seen in FIG. 3, the Wedges 16e of abutting tongues 1-6 and 17 of adjacent panels, diverge from the marginal edges 16a in a direction towards the stops 18.

The web 11 and tongues 16 and 17 are, preferably, formed from thin rolled sheet steel. An insulating or sound-proofing board 19 is secured to the unexposed web surface 15 by any suitable adhesive material.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 2 of the drawing, there is shown a stud member generally indicated at 20. The stud 20, for convenience of manufacture, is formed from two similar stud portions 21 and 22 which are secured together in back-to-back relation by any suitable means, e.g., welding or nivets. When held together in back-to-back relation the stud portions 21 and 22 are oppositely disposed. As the stud portions are similar, the following description will be given in relation tol stud portion 22.

The stud portion 22 is, preferably, formed from tlrin rolled sheet metal, and comprises a web 23 having spaced parallel marginal edges 24 and 25. A pair of laterally extending flanges 26 and 27 are secured to the webs marginal edges 24 and 25, and extend or project from the plane of the web 23. The flanges 26 and 27 are, preferably, formed at right angles to the plane of the web 23. The free marginal edges of the flanges 26 and 27 are reversely bent forming abutments 28 and 29.

Extending from the abutments 28 and 29 are a pair of lingers 30 and 31 which are, preferably, a continuation of the flanges and web and form a panel interlock portion. The fingers or auxiliary planar webs or abutment flanges 30 and 31 are offset from the plane of the web 23 and are, preferably, normal to the plane of the flanges 26 Aand 27 and the abutments 28 and 29.

A pair of shoulders or extended flat *seats 32 and 33 are carried by the fingers 30 and 31 and are formed by reversely bending the free marginal edges of the flanges 30 and 31. The shoulders 32 and 33, preferably, lie in planes which are parallel to the planes of the flanges 26 and 27 and normal to the plane of the web 23 and the fingers 30 and 31.

The stud sections 21 and 22 are then fastened together in back-to-back relation as previously indicated. The stud at each panel abutting surface has a pair of spaced abutments 28 and 29 adjacent which, a pair of adjacently mounted panels 34 and 35 (FIG. 3) rest. An opening or space coextensive with the stud 20, is formed between the fingers 30 and 31` which resiliently extend from the abutments 28 and 29. The shoulders 32 and 33 extend or project into this opening and provide a restricted opening or space 36. In forming the shoulders 32 and 33, a pair of lips 37 and 38 are formed. The lips 37 and 38 extend from the free marginal edges 39 and 40 of the fingers 30 and 31, respectively, and converge towards the restricted opening 36 formed between the shoulders 32 and 33.

Wire or conduit receiving recesses `41 are formed in the web 23 of the stud 20 by any suitable punching or shearing operation.

WALL CONSTRUCTION A channel 45, coextensive with the partition wall, is secured to the lioor 46 by any suitable fastening devices, e.g., screws (not shown). The channel includes a U- shaped positioning member 47 which extends beyond the oor channel 45. A U-shaped opening or recess 48 is formed in the web 23 of the stud 20, for receiving the positioning member 47.

A generally U-shaped configured channel 49, coextensive with the partition wall, is secured to the ceiling 50 by any suitable fastening means, e.g., screws (not shown). The ceiling channel 49 forms a recess designed to receive a configured bracket 51 which is secured to the web 23 of the stud 20 by any suitable fastening means, e.g., rivets or conventionally designed nuts and bolts. In constructing the wall, the individual studs are angularly twisted to place the bracket S1 within the recess formed in the ceiling channel 49. The stud 20 is then positioned over the floor channel 45 in such -a manner that the positioning member 47 is received into the stud positioning recess 48. The stud 20 is then uprighted or plumbed with any suitable leveling device.

The panels, eg., panels 34 and 35 are then mounted on the studs 20. This is accomplished by placing the tongues of each panel member into the restricted opening 36 formed between the stud shoulders. The panel tongues as they are inserted into the opening 36, push aside or laterally displace the resiliently mounted fingers. The panel tongues are inserted until the unexposed surface 15 of the panel web 11, abuts the free marginal edges of the stud fingers. The stud fingers resiliently spring back to their restive position and the shoulders carried by the fingers, interlocking engage the panel stops carried by the tongues. In this manner the panels are mounted on the studs. When so mounted, the insulating board 19 is slightly removed from the stud abutments, such that the board 19 immediately engages the stud abutments if the panel is slightly depressed. The coaction between the board 19 and stud abutments prevents the metal panels from being deformed beyond the elastic limit of the metal.

The ceiling at its juncture with the panels can be finished with any suitable ceiling mold. In the embodiment shown, a molding channel 51a is secured to the ceiling first, prior to installing the stud positioning channel 49, the positioning channel 49 being concentrically mounted within the molding channel 51a. The molding channel 51a has a pair of resiliently mounted decorative fianges 52 and 53 extending from the ceiling 50 for covering the panel ends or tops adjacent the ceiling. The positioning channel 49 carries a pair of abutments 54 and 55 which are coextensive with the channel 49 'and are in spaced relation from the decorative flanges 52 and 53, respectively, the space between the abutments and adjacent flanges being less than the width of the panel web l11 and insulating board 19. Thus, when the panels are in position, the abutments 54 and 55 hold the panels in compressive engagement with the decorative flanges 52 and 53.

The juncture of the panels with the iloor is finished with any suitable base moulding, e.g., rubber or metal. In the embodiment shown, a base positioning channel 56 is first secured to` the floor under the base positioning channel 45'. An L-shaped base positioner 57 which is mounted on, or integrally formed with a base molding 58 is detachably secured to the base positioning channel 56. Other suitably designed base members 59 can be used to finish o the juncture of the panels with the floor.

The panel are removed from the stud by manually displacing the stud fingers, preferably, adjacent the bottom or top of the panel to disengage the stud shoulder from the panel stop at that particular point. Once the stop and shoulder are disengaged at the top or bottom of the panel, the panel is easily removed from the stud since the stop and shoulder are continuous and coextensive. The disengaged portion of each stop 18 wedgingly acts upon the adjacent corresponding engaged shoulder to push the shoulder aside, such that increasing portions of the tongue are removed until the tongue is completely withdrawn from between the lingers. As seen from the drawing, the overall depth, or width of each tongue is generally small in relation to the length of the panel. Hence, the tongues bow, or curve as they are removed, or unzippered from between the fingers. It should be appreciated that if the tongues were rigid and not capable of bending or flexing, their removal would be extremely difficult because of the positive interlock between the continuous stop and shoulder, and summation of forces acting therebetween to keep them from becoming disengaged. The panel can be readily replaced with other similar panels by positioning the panel and pressing the panel tongues into the restricted openings formed between the stud fingers. The panel stops and stud shoulders being in parallel planes which are normal to the planes of the panel tongue and stud fingers provide a positive interlocking coaction for holding the panels t0 the studs. The panels cannot be unlocked from the studs `without manually displacing the resiliently mounted stud fingers. It should be readily understood that such a positive interlock is extremely important in walls on which are mounted heavy objects such as bookcases or storage cabinets.

Thus, there has been provided a new and novel partition wall those components are readily assembled and dismantled. A positive interlock is provided between stops carried by the panels and shoulders formed on the studs. Also, the studs are provided with abutments which keep the panels from being deformed beyond the elastic limit of the metal forming the panels.

FIGS. 5 and 6 also illustrate another form of panel at 66. This panel also contains flanges or tongues 67 and 68 which contain the same configuration as the flanges 0r tongues 16 and 17 and are also designed to cooperate with a 4stud member in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. The soundproofing board 69 secured to the panel 66 contains a recessed or cut-out portion 70 between its side p0rtions. The cut-out portion 70 permits the panel 66 to be used as either a at wall panel member or by placing the panel against a corner stud member (not shown) and applying pressure at the flanges or tongues 67 and 68, the panel can be forced into a right angle configuration as illustrated in FIG. 6 so that the panel becomes a corner type panel member.

FIG. 7 illustrates a batten type member 71 which can be used in combination with a stud 72 of the type described in reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 and a panel member or similar wall facing material 73 to form a partition 'wall. As illustrated in FIG. 7 the batten member comprises a flat face 74 of decorative surface finish. The fiat face 74 has longitudinally extending edge portions 75 bent over and under the face 74. The edge portions 75 carry a longitudinally extending T-shaped member 76. The member 76 has diverging leg portions 77 gripped by edge portions 75 and extend from a substantially U-shaped portion 78. The IU-shaped portion 78 of the member 76 has longitudinally extending side members 78 which diverge outwardly as shown at 79 and converge as shown at 80 to provide a longitudinally extending shoulder 81 designed to cooperate and be gripped by the fingers or auxiliary planar webs 30 and 31 of the stud member 20.

It can thus be seen from the use of the batten member as illustrated in FIG. 7 that a panel or a similar type wall material can be used which does not contain flanges or tongues and which can be gripped between the abutments of the stud and the longitudinally extending edge portions 75 of the batten 71. Also, the panel or wall member can be undercut along its marginal edges in depth equal to the width of edge portions 75 so that the hatten member 71 will lit flush with the wall member.

What -I claim is:

1. In a partition wall formed from studs and panel with insulation backer boards, means for mounting a pair of the panels in edge-to-edge relation on a stud, the means when the panels are on the stud comprising:

(a) a pair of abutments disposed in spaced relation on the stud adjacent the insulation boards and engagin the boards when the panels are pressed towards fhg stud, the abutments being in the same plane;

(b) a pair of fingers carried by the stud and extending outwardly from between the abutments towards `the panels, the fingers being continuous between opposing ends of the stud and including:

(1) a pair of planar webs angularly disposed to the plane of the abutments, the webs having free marginal edges which engage the panels;

(c) a pair of lips extending from the free marginal edges of the webs and converging in a direction towards the plane of the abutments, the lips being coextensive with the webs and having spaced free marginal edges restricting the space between the webs;

(d) a pair of shoulders extending from the free marginal edges of the lips to the plane of the webs, the shoulders being coextensive with the Iwebs and including oppositely disposed configured surfaces a'ngularly disposed to the webs;

(e) a pair of tongues extending from adjacent marginal edges of the panels towards the stud, the tongues being continuous between opposing ends of the panels and disposed between the fingers, the tongues including:

(l) a pair of planar flanges disposed in adjacent abutting relation between the lips, the flanges engaging the lips and having free marginal edges extending beyond the lips;

(f) a pair of wedges extending from the free marginal edges of the flanges and diverging in a direction towards the shoulders, the wedges being coextensive with the flanges and having free marginal edges spaced from the flanges, and

(g) a pair of stops extending from the free marginal edges of the wedges to the plane of the flanges, the stops 'being coextensive with the flanges and including oppositely disposed surfaces correspondingly configured to matingly engage the configured surfaces of the shoulders, the wedges and lips engaging when the panels are mounted on the stud causing relative lateral displacement thereof, whereby the stops bypass the lips and interlockingly engage the shoulders.

2. The mounting means of claim 1, wherein the webs and flanges are in parallel planes normal to the plane of the abutments.

3. The mounting means of claim 2, wherein the matingly engaged surfaces of the stops and shoulders lie in parallel planes.

4. The mounting means of claim 3, wherein the planes of the surfaces are normal to the webs and flanges.

5. The mounting means of claim 4, which includes means for `disengaging interlocked stops and shoulders at one end thereof.

6. A partition wall comprising at least one pair of panels mounted in side-by-side abutting relation on a wall stud, each panel having insulation backing boards, the stud including:

(a) a web having at least one marginal edge;

(b) a flange disposed along the marginal edge of the web;

(c) a pair of spaced abutments disposed on the flange adjacent the insulation boards and engaging the boards when the panels are pressed towards the stud, the abutments being in the same plane;

(d) a pair of fingers carried by the stud and extending outwardly from between the abutments towards the panels, the fingers being continuous between opposing ends of the stud and including:

(l) a pair of planar webs angularly disposed to the plane of the abutments, the webs having free marginal edges which engage the panels;

(e) a pair of lips extending from the free marginal edges of the webs and converging in a direction towards the plane of the abutments, the lips being coextensive with the webs and having spaced free marginal edges restricting the space `between the webs;

(f) a pair of shoulders extending from the free marginal edges of the lips to the plane of the webs, the shoulders being coextensive with the webs and including oppositely disposed configured surfaces angularly disposed to the webs;

and the panels including:

(g) web portions disposed in planar relation and having adjacent parallel marginal edges, said web portions having exposed and unexposed surfaces in backto-back relation;

(h) said insulation boards being secured to the unexposed surfaces of the web portions in spaced relation from the marginal edges thereof;

(i) a pair of tongues extending from adacent marginal edges of the panels towards the stud, the tongues being continuous between opposing ends of the panels and disposed between the fingers, the tongues including:

(l) a pair of planar flanges disposed in adjacent abutting relation between the lips, the flanges engaging the lips and having free marginal edges extending beyond the lips;

(j) a pair of wedges extending from the free marginal edges of the flanges and diverging in a direction towards the shoulders, the wedges being coextensive with the flanges and having free marginal edges spaced from the flanges; and

(k) a pair of stops extending from the free marginal edges of the wedges to the plane of the flanges, the stops being coextensive with the flanges and including oppositely disposed surfaces correspondingly configured to matingly engage the configured surfaces of the shoulders, the wedges and lips engaging when the panels are mounted on the stud causing relative lateral displacement thereof, whereby the stops bypass the lips and interlockingly engage the shoulders.

7. The partition wall of claim 6', wherein the webs and flanges are in parallel planes normal to the plane of the abutments.

8. The partition wall of claim 7, wherein the matingly engaged surfaces of the stops and shoulders lie in parallel planes.

thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Curran 52-284 Maher 52-364 Wray 52-493 8 5/1968 Bohnsack 52-481 2/ 1969 Metelnick 52-481 12/ 1969 Miller 52-729 X 4/ 1946 Tickle, Jr 52 493 X 12/1946 Jackson 52-493 X FOREIGN PATENTS 12/19'47 Australia 52-468 1/ 1954 France 5 2-461 4/ 1936 Great Britain 52-481 ALFRED C. PERHAM, Primary Examiner U.S. C1. XJR.

Jullien 52-493 15 52-241, 461, 493 

